Life Of Joey & Bi-Monthly Goals - September 2018 [CC]

All about my life in the past month and what I've been up to!

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Interview with Tracie Podger

I am delighted to be welcoming Tracie Podger back to my blog for an interview. I met Tracie at #Darker2017 as she was also one of the attending authors and loved getting to know her. Here's a little about her.

Tracie Podger currently lives in Kent, UK with her husband and a rather obnoxious cat called George. She’s a Padi Scuba Diving Instructor with a passion for writing. Tracie has been fortunate to have dived some of the wonderful oceans of the world where she can indulge in another hobby, underwater photography. She likes getting up close and personal with sharks.

And onto the interview!

How long have you been writing?
I’ve been writing for about eight or nine years now. I’ve been published since 2012.

Do you write in the genre you love to read?
I do, I think it’s important to read the genre you write in. It’s a way to follow trends, see what works and what you feel doesn’t. I’m fortunate that I read many genres and, consequently, write many genres!

Do you have any favourite authors to read?
My tastes change from month to month, and since I don’t get as much time to read as I’d like, I tend to favour indie authors over traditional at the moment. I can’t say that I have a favourite author although I very much admire Colleen Hoover simply for her fun, crazy mind and her ability to stay humble.

Are you an organised writer or not?
Very. I don’t plot my romances; I do with my thrillers because they can be a little more complicated. However, I’m disciplined and structured. I set myself time limits or word counts to meet with each writing session.

What's your idea of a perfect writing day?
No interruptions and Earl Grey Tea on tap!

Do you like editing or is it something you loathe?
I love editing. I’m fortunate to have a wonderful team supporting me and we work very much together to perfect each book. I read my work in as many different formats as possible, printed on paper, ebook, on the laptop, and I think just that keeps the story fresh.

What's your favourite social media? And why?
Oh, I’m on Facebook way more than I should be but I really do like Instagram.

Do you do character profiles? If so, why/why not?
Not necessarily. If I have multiple characters, I might do a family tree to see how they are connected/related. I see each character in my head and I write what I see. That image will stay consistent throughout my writing process. There are times when I wish I did, though. If there has been a little time between books that are in a series or connected, it would save me a lot of time when I need to remember hair colour!

How would you describe your writing process?
As I said, I see my stories in my mind, they play out like a movie. I start to write and then I really just let the story go where the story wants to go. Free styling, I call it! It’s not that I’m a ‘pantsa’ because I know the end way before I’ve got there, but I like the story to organically develop instead of following a structure.

Do you prefer ebooks or paperbacks? Why?
I prefer the convenience of ebooks and as I’ve got a little older, I prefer the fact I have multiple books on a single device that is easier to hold. But nothing can beat a shelf full of paperbacks.

How do you plan a book launch?
I start to plan months in advance. I line up the team in the first instance so we all know what deadlines we have to meet. We start with a release date after I’ve written the first draft, and work backwards from that. I’ll plan a cover reveal, organise a tour, prep the review team. Promotion will start pretty much as soon as we have teasers made and a pre-order link.

Do you have a favourite writing food? Drink?
Anything chocolate! I drink way too much tea and I like to celebrate a release with a large bag of Maltesers!

What's your favourite idea of a cozy afternoon?
Either writing or reading, no TV or noise, just curled up on the sofa.

How often do you write? Do you have a schedule?
It used to be every day but I probably spend three to four days a week writing, the rest is admin. 

You can follow Tracie on Facebook, Twitter and check out her website.

Join Joey here on the blog on Fridays for interviews, reviews and guest bloggers. If you'd be interested in doing any of those, you can contact Joey here

The Trials of a Crime Writer - Getting Merry With It

GETTING MERRY WITH IT

Something I know a lot of people struggle with during the holidays is keeping on top of their goals, as well as all the other stresses that come from Christmas, the new year and all of that. If you're like me and someone who still writes during the Christmas period and still has page counts to meet and murders and crimes to plan (fictionally of course!) then you'll know that sometimes it means writing about the gruesome sides of the human condition while everyone is mostly out celebrating the time of year. I thought I would do a piece about how I handle dealing with the gruesome while also staying in the mood for Christmas and all that comes with it.

#1. PACE YOURSELF
This is my number one tip for so many reasons. Not just because it helps you stay focused and on top of everything, but also because it means you're listening to your body about what it can and can't handle. So if for example, you've got presents to wrap and a child running around all excited, then make sure you set yourself a manageable goal. There's nothing fun about stress and there seems to be a lot of it go around this time of year.

#2. UTILISE YOUR STRESS
Say you have a character you have to kill, or a crime to plot out and you know it's gonna be gruesome and difficult. If you're someone who can channel that stress into your writing, then use it to write that scene. Not only will it be doing something positive, like getting a difficult scene out of the way, but it'll also help your stress levels once you're done. If you're someone who can't write when they're stressed or you don't have a scene you can use, then sit back and see if any of the other tips will work for you.

#3. REMEMBER IT'S ONLY TEMPORARY
Yes, it comes once a year and it's huge and difficult, and you've got the kids home from school and all your relatives are wanting this and that from you, but remember to breathe. Before long the day is over, the season is done and life will return to normal. The best thing you can do is have fun and enjoy yourself while you're there. I know it's easier said than done, but yet it is true. If you find you can't write during the holiday period and that crime you were planning to research seems a bit too much, just breathe and either work through it, or set it aside for a few days time.

So those are my three top tips for getting through the holiday period and still having a shred of dignity left at the end of it. I plan to have a quiet Christmas, but I've also planned to get some serious writing done. If you find that you're thinking your storyline is a little too dark and horrific to be writing over this period, then take a breath and realise that it's probably going to feel like that come the new year. One thing I've learned in my years of writing dark fiction is that it's always going to be dark, bar possibly Halloween time, and sometimes you just need to buckle down and get on with it.

The big thing to remember is that it is fiction. Whether you bang away at the keyboard or mull over scenes in your head during some quiet moments, there's nothing wrong with that. I remember once getting a comment on a blog post that because I wrote young adult and also wrote crime, that I was making the young people of today more likely to get into a murderous rage and carry out the crimes committed. I raised an eyebrow and shrugged, laughing a little because that's not how it works. There's nothing wrong with writing dark fiction, whether that's crime, paranormal or anything like that. As I've grown as a writer and author, I have found that I have a taste for the dark side of fiction, and I do love telling it. It's not for everyone and that's completely okay, but it's also okay for those of us who like it, to enjoy writing it.

So that's all I've got for you today. I hope you have a wonderful holiday period and I will see you again after the big day. Since Christmas falls on a Monday this year, the Monday blog post next week will be up on the 26th instead. Hope you all enjoy yourselves, and as always, feel free to leave a comment below.

Follow Joey here on her blog, or on Facebook or Tumblr to be kept up to date with the latest news regarding Joey and her books. You can also sign up to her newsletter here.

Life Of Joey - November 2017 [CC]

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Signing Events:The Experience [CC]

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The Signing Aftermath [CC]

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Life Of Joey - October 2017 [CC]

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Preparing For Signings [CC]

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Spoonie Writer: Signings & You

SPOONIE WRITER: SIGNINGS & YOU

I figured that with the convention fast approaching, I mean we're now at just under three weeks, I would address the issues I've faced getting things in place and offer my tips to help other spoonie writers who may be looking to do their own signings. I've got a vlog going up this week that will address those last minute preparations, but it still seemed like a good idea to do an advice piece as well. That way it's covered on all fronts. This is my first signing and my first big event as an author that has lead to time away from home, being "on" for a long period of time and having to deal with health issues on top. So what's my advice?

The biggest one I can give is to plan ahead as far as you can. I started ordering my paperbacks back in 2016 so that by the time I got to this point I was no longer worrying or waiting for anything to arrive. The same can be said for all the SWAG I've ordered, banner too. I planned far in advance simply because I didn't want to get close to the day and find that I was missing something. I know that my conditions are exacerbated by stress, so why add to it? As it stands now, I am more than ready to get to the signing and deal with all of that.

Along with organising, came the realistic need for both access and certain accommodations for the event itself. As you all know I'm on oxygen pretty much all the time I'm awake. I wanted to arrange with my oxygen company to have a machine delivered and they were great. They need some notice though, so again with the whole planning and being organised when you can. I also reached out to the event organisers and asked if it would be possible for me to be sat near a plug. That way I can use the main concentrator and not have to worry about my canisters running low. The oxygen concentrator I have is one that can refill canisters, but I didn't like the idea of leaving it on in the hotel room when there'd be no one in there. The organisers were great, as were the hotel and the oxygen company. Same goes for access issues for my chair, they've all been excellent at making sure I have what I need to bring myself to the event.

One thing that did worry me was what if I couldn't manage it all? I didn't want to let the organisers down, but nor did I want to just not put myself out there for conventions like this. So I made a judgement call and am still making that call. I won't know for sure until I've done it, but I've planned my time in the weeks and days leading up to the event to allow myself for plenty of rest breaks. My carer, and best friend, is coming along to help me on the day and she's good at making sure I don't overdo it. There will be a short lunch break and during that I will, if need be, have the opportunity to nap in the room. I'm mostly focusing on doing the whole day, napping and then going to the after event ball.

That was another judgement call. If I'd been "on" all day, was I really up to a late night? I went back and forth about it before I finally decided that yeah, I'd manage. If worse came to worst, I could leave earlier than planned and head to bed. Even though at the time of signing up, B didn't drive, she does now which means that if it comes to it, she can make the journey there and since we're staying at the hotel until the Monday, I can spend the day after sleeping and resting and all that fun stuff that comes with being a spoonie. I made the decision that I wouldn't know for sure until the night and I would much rather push myself a little to experience all that I could than say no and miss out on something. And again, it's something that's not set in stone so if need be, I can pull out.

One thing that a lot of people who aren't chronically ill and/or disabled don't seem to realise is that we have to make so many choices every day. I can choose to spend my spoons, knowing that it will give me one hell of a payback in the weeks following, so that I can experience something I never have before and is, quite frankly, an experience I want under my belt. Or I can be cautious. As it stands now, I plan to definitely be there on October 7th, for all the signing on the day and the after event, but the organisers are awesome and I know if I had to pull out between now and then, they'd understand. As it is, they're doing everything they can to make it as accessibly and easy for me. Which is something I very much appreciate.

So, I'll leave you with the advice that while a signing might cost a hell of a lot of spoons, sometimes it's a good idea to step outside of your comfort zone and experience it. Having said that, you know your limits better than I do, and I know mine better than anyone else. Don't push yourself to the breaking point for something, no matter how much you want that experience. There are steps you can take, such as having a week before and time afterwards when your focus in purely on recovery. It can be hard to judge how much time you'll need so be kind to yourself and listen to your body. 

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The Trials Of A Crime Writer: Going To The Dark Side

THE TRIALS OF A CRIME WRITER: GOING TO THE DARK SIDE

Given that in less than a month I will be attending my first ever author signing. Aptly enough, it's the Darker Side Of Fiction 2017, so I thought it would be a good idea in the lead up to that event, to do a piece about both being a crime writer and what it's like to go to the dark side writing wise. I've been writing crime fiction the whole of my writing career, and it's always been something that's interested me. However, I didn't really cross over to the dark side completely until recently. It was a gradual process and something that I didn't really realise was happening until after it had passed.

As a crime writer you're usually dealing with the dark side of humanity as it is. The same can be said for a number of other genres, but for me it's crime so I'll stick with that. You're facing situations and creating characters who either go through some trauma or are the perpetrators of trauma and that's sometimes hard to wrap your head around. I once got told that I shouldn't write crime fiction, especially for young adults, because it can steer young people towards a criminal life. I'm not sure how that works since, well it doesn't work like that, but people have also asked me why do I focus so much on the bad and not write fluffy novels with romance, happiness and all the bright side of life.

I would argue that I do and have written books that deal with both the criminal genre but also with the fluff as well. In the Dying Thoughts series, Tara has a wonderful friend in Kaolin, and that continues throughout the series. In the Cramping Chronicles series, which has yet to be released, the main character, Jessie, has a bunch of friends and it's not all doom and gloom. I could name other books, but there's always a balance, in my eyes between the dark and dreary and the light and fluffy. I would say that my latest release - It's Not Always Rainbows - it not one that balances both of those. It is, and reviewers have agreed, my darkest book. It didn't start out like that, but as I grew closer to the end I realised that there was only really one way for it to continue and wrap up. That said, it does have a happy ending, or at least as happy as I could make it.

So why do authors like myself focus on the darker side of humanity? I was asked this in an interview which can be found here. The long and short of how I see it is that readers, writers and everyone in-between do have somewhat of a sense of the macabre. The example I used in the interview was that when you drive past an accident site. You hope and pray that no one is seriously, or even not seriously hurt, but you still can't help but glance at it as you go past. Reading, and writing, dark fiction does not mean that you're morbid (though I will admit, I very much am!), or that you are sick and twisted. It just means you want to be able to escape to a world where the people being hurt, killed, or whatnot, aren't real. Fiction is about an escape, both for the writer and for those who read. The dark side is welcoming with open arms people who want to escape into their worlds.

That said, not all crime novels are dark and grisly. Not all mystery books involve death, and the dark side isn't all torture and graphic violence. Part of being a crime writer means you will write about all manner of crimes. And while I have read a number of books of my fellow attending authors, there is a wide array of just how dark it gets. It's all about where the story goes, what the circumstances call for and all of that wrapped up in a delicious package. My earlier books, especially in the Dying Thoughts series, were a mix of dark and not. You have to remember that I write for young adults, and for that reason, some of my writing will be curbed so as not to get too dark. However, there are and always will be some level of the dark side in them. And there's nothing wrong with that.

While I do agree that young adults shouldn't be exposed to certain elements of the world, in fiction and real life, I think it has to be considered on a case by case basis. I am the guardian to an almost thirteen year old. She is very much ready to read all of my works even though she's on the younger side of the young adult spectrum. She has been ready since she was about eleven or so. I am also aware of other readers who started before the cut-off age at thirteen and have very much enjoyed, processed and been happy with where my books have gone. But there are other young adults, and younger readers who would not be okay with reading what I've written. And that's okay! It's something they have to decide, or their parents have to decide. In the past my advice has been, for parents unsure, to read the book before they let their child read it. If it's something they're not happy with sharing, no harm.

So, as a crime writer, and as someone who is very much happy writing the dark side of fiction into their works, I will leave you with the knowledge that entering the dark side is not a one-way ticket. You can dip your toe into the pond and you can leave at any time. Of course, you might find that you actually very much enjoy it, and in that case you'll probably never leave!

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The Trials Of An Indie Author: Signings & Conventions

THE TRIALS OF AN INDIE AUTHOR: SIGNINGS & CONVENTIONS

It's been all over my pages, and social media, I'm going to The Darker Side Of Fiction 2017 event in October. It's my first signing event, and I am beyond excited but also nervous as all hell. I've been a writer for over sixteen years and a published author for almost twelve. My authorversary is actually on Thursday! Yet back when I first started there wasn't as much social media presence and there certainly weren't as many opportunities for indie authors to take part in big signing events. How far the world has come. So as I wrote last week about the social media (found here) that comes with being an author, today I thought I would do a piece about signings and conventions. What to expect, and how to get yourself on their lists, as well as maybe arrange your own local signings on top.

One of the first things you need to do is work on making connections, something I've talked about in a previous piece, (found here) and it's these connections that will help you broaden your scope and allow you to reach out to the people who run the conventions and signings. Be warned that a lot of the time the signings are being prepared very far in advance, so it might not be for a few years. On top of that, there are loads of other authors who'll be looking for a spot same as you. It might be that you don't get picked that first time, but you should keep trying. Sometimes it's the back collection of books you have, sometimes it's your visibility in the book world (both indie and traditional) and sometimes it's just that you're not a right fit for the convention itself. Some of those will change with time - you'll release more books, and you'll get more visibility and you might also find a different convention that is perfect for you and your books. My point is that don't lose heart if you don't get chosen at the first try. Keep a lookout for sign up forms and keep trying.

When I saw the form for Darker, I was pretty much a newbie to the whole convention thing, and I still am. I had no idea the amount of work that would be involved before I even got to the event. I'm not just under nine weeks from the big day and it's been a year long task to get all my books ready, my SWAG ready, banner, and hotel and all of that that goes with it. It's gonna take time, and while in some ways you can prepare in advanced - i.e getting the copies of your books and designing and ordering SWAG and a banner - some of it can't be done too far in advance so be ready for that. I started preparing myself way back in July of last year once I'd been announced and was sure that I was going. That was a full eighteen months before the convention itself and it's only now that I'm pretty much sure I have everything and am ready to go.

If, like me, you're working on a budget, having the time to do things in small doses makes life easier all round. I've been getting my books in batches and setting it out so I order every other month and stuff like that. My SWAG initally, was all ready, but then as I learned more about what kind of things other authors were doing, I realised I needed to up my SWAG game. On top of that, I've only recently found out about blogger packs. And if you've never done a signing or a convention, you may not know these things. I'm lucky in that the Hourglass hosts are amazing and have set up an Author only group so I was able to ask questions, and I think it's pretty much standard. Don't be afraid to ask if you're not sure. Even if the other authors have all done this before, everyone does things differently and someone will have an idea of what you need.

So let me break down what I have learned for you so that if you're doing a signing for the first time, you know somewhat what you can do. Blogger packs are basically for the bloggers who are attending the event, there's usually a list somewhere. What you want to include is information about your books, a business card and some SWAG that's pretty much unique to them that may allow them to keep or to do their own giveaway after the event. I've included badges, postcards, bookmarks, a business card and a pen, all of which are linked to me and my books. I've also got a small number of VIP packs which contain the same, and the only way to get the badges is to buy a VIP pack, though I do have pens on their own and magnets that are completely separate to the packs. I will also be offering bookmarks and postcards to all who want them and have a special fingerprint card that I'll be doing for whoever wants them.

Next thing you want to remember is that there's a limit to how many books you can have with you. I went with twenty of each book and I don't expect to sell all of them. That said, pre-order forms are an amazing way to have some idea of who wants what and gives the attendee a chance to pay with paypal. That way all they have to do is turn up, me sign the book and they're on their way. I also have a cash float and plan to allow people to pay over the paypal app if that's easier for them. The majority of this can be done in advance and the organisers will probably host your pre-order form on the event website.

You will also want a banner and some items to make you stand out, to add to your display. My banner was a bit of a nightmare for me to get it done, but now that it is finally here, it looks amazing. I did it in advance so that if there were any problems, I wouldn't be caught short. My display will have things that I've picked up from here and there, like police tape and hand cuffs and a little ghost pop vinyl. You have to remember that you'll have limited space and that you want to be able to appeal to people walking by, but also have room to sign and chat with the readers.

So that's the basics of the actual event itself, and the build up to it. But what about finding how to sign up in the first place? I mentioned connections, but what do they bring you? Well, Facebook groups are a huge resource for an author. I found the sign up to Darker through one such group, I've also since signed up and am on the standby list for another event. I've filled in a few forms for future events as well. And because I'm in those groups, I'm able to work out in advance what kind of events I'm looking to do. Being that I'm in the UK, a lot of my events will be in the UK. I don't travel long distance that well and while I would love to do a signing in the US or somewhere in Europe, I don't yet have the visibility or funds to do so. That may be in the plans for later in my career.

How about local signings? I've reached out to my local library a couple of times about doing a signing with them. A lot of my books are set either in the town I live in and is therefore mentioned by name, or the towns are based on my home town without actually naming it. I know of other authors who do signings all over the country and in their local area so I know it's possible to do. I've not yet managed to arrange one, but reading out to the library or a school or something like that, is a good tool to try. As I write YA, it makes sense for me to reach my target audience, which includes schools, but further on from that, you can arrange to do talks with students about just being an author and the level of work that goes into that. My advice is basically to keep trying and moving forward. Sometimes you'll get told no, but other times you might find a door that opens and you're suddenly in the thick of plans and dates and conventions a plenty!

Good luck and I hope to see some of you at Darker2017!

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Tales From My Sick Bed: So When Will I Get Better?

TALES FROM MY SICK BED: SO WHEN WILL I GET BETTER?

Last week I did a blog post about the upcoming event - Darker Side Of Fiction 2017 - but this week I'm back to my short posts and tales from my sick bed. While I am doing somewhat better - my fever finally broke - it's gonna be a little while longer until I'm back on my feet and up to my usual antics. Of course as I said in the first of these, my writing doesn't stop and nor does my job which means a lot of juggling to keep up with everything while also obeying my doctor's orders and not overdoing it. That's harder than you think.

As I spoke about in my first post, when you want to do something, even if you are sick, you will generally find a way to do it. So long as it's within reason. I don't mean if you want to run a marathon while being a full-time wheelchair user, though I'm sure somebody somewhere will tell me about a friend of theirs who managed it. I was talking about smaller things, such as wanting to keep to my #JoWriMoGo schedule and manage to write more pages this month than there are days. I'm happy to tell you that I've beaten that already but I don't think this is going to be a record month. And neither will August.

In the past few days I have been spending my spoons wisely. I have videos to pre-record, which then need editing, uploading and captioning and while I would normally do this all in one day, in the past few weeks I've been doing it spread out to make sure that I don't make myself sicker. One thing my doctor was clear on, that while writing in bed is an option, it shouldn't be at the expense of my health. So I've taken to doing my daily reading in bed instead. I have a healthy TBR and am slowly working my way through the last in the alphabet series having started at the beginning a few weeks back.

This means that I can get more reviews done for the blog, so technically it counts as work - though not all the books I read I review on my blog of course. I've also been splitting my sat down writing time up to a bit every few hours. I find that the temptation to keep going when doing it all at once is way too strong and then I end up paying for it the next day. On top of that I have these blog posts to write as well. It's a lot of juggling, but it's worth it to make sure that I do keep going on the road to recovery.

So that's it for this week. Hopefully next week I might be back to my regular programming and all of that. Here's hoping!

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Challenge Accepted: 30 questions about me for #Darker2017

Fellow Darker signing author, Paula Acton, challenged all of the DarkerSideOfFction2017 authors to answer these thirty questions. You can find her responses here. And grab tickets for Darker here. And you can join the Facebook group here.

What did you want to be when you were a kid?
I always wanted, from a very young age, to be a doctor. It's what helped me choose my options at secondary school and then onto my one term at college. I never did A-levels and only recently got my degree finally. But I was going to be a paediatrician, it never happened because I got sick and that dream had to die.

Which Friends character do you relate to most? Why?
Either Monica or Phoebe. I loved Friends, but I also found it hard to be just one character. I relate to Monica for her strict organisation rules and feelings of being insecure. I relate to Phoebe for her mostly - give no fucks - attitude which I've been known to have.

Do you like your name? Why?
Now, see Joey is actually my legal name, but I prefer it to my proper name. I don't hate Joanne, but I feel like Joey is better for me. It's been what people call me for so very long that it's weird at hospital and such to be called Joanne!

Are you messy or neat?
I'm mostly neat, everything has it's place and all, but I do occasionally let things just live where they fall. I usually then get frustrated and go tidy it all up!

How tall are you?
5ft 4/5 I think. It's been a while since I was measured. I spend a lot of my life in my wheelchair so it's hard to garner height from that.

How tall were you when you were ten?
I think about 4ft 10, I was so desperate to be 5ft something though because I felt like I was too short.

What is your guilty pleasure?
Reading bad fanfic for the fandoms I'm a member of. I know it's bad, but it just makes me laugh.

What are you saving money for now?
Darker of course, but also a few other things like paying off a vet bill and lowering the debt on my credit cards. Money always too little of it!

How many Pringles can you eat at once?
Now, if it's just my Pringles, a whole can, but if I'm supposed to share less than that! I can fit about three in my mouth at once though!

Tea or coffee?
Tea, always tea. I'm actually allergic to coffee so it's always gonna be tea for me!

Are you an introvert or extrovert?
A bit of both. I know the word is Ambivert but I don't really meet that either. I don't mind talking on the phone or with people I know, but when it comes to meeting new people and/or being in a crowd, I tend to shrink back until I get more confident with them.

What will be your Hallowe’en costume this year?
I haven't thought that far in advance to be honest! I don't really do much with Hallowe'en. B (my carer and best friend and cover artist) will usually dress up with her daughter who'll be 13 this time round, but I generally stay home and hand out the sweets.

Sweet or salty?
Sweet, but sometimes I do crave some salty goodness.

Favourite social media?
I think it's a tie between Tumblr and Instagram. I love both, though I'm generally more active on Tumblr or Facebook.

Who is the last person you kissed?
I...actually can't remember, it's been that long! LOL

What is your favourite breakfast?
I was gonna say full English, but I am very happy with American pancakes, bacon and maple syrup. And I get it so very rarely!

When is your birthday?
January 6th, so twelve days after Christmas and all over at one end of the year.

When did you start your blog?
Oh back in January 2011 I think.

What is your opinion on the Kardashians?
I don't really have one, they matter that little to me.

How would you describe your style?
I don't really have one to be honest. I wear a lot of comfy clothes and do my hair so it looks less messy, but overall I don't have a style.

What colour is your hair?
Purple right now with a few brown roots, planning to get it done again just before the convention in my purple pixie cut!

What colour socks are you wearing?
I don't have any, nor do I normally wear them.

What is your dream job?
I'm doing it right now. Being a published author is living the dream for me!

Dogs or cats?
Both. I grew up with a Nan with the cats and a Nan with the dogs, and my family had both. However, as an adult I've only had cats. We have four right now. Mr. Dash and Miss Violet who are B's cats and Miss Penne and Miss Spaghetti who are mine. And yes they are named after pasta.

What makes you weird?
Lots of things! I have webbed toes on both feet, is just one example.

Celebrity crush?
Hmm...I was talking about this to a friend the other day, and I don't really have one, or at least one that is well known. So gonna go with Matt Willis from Busted.

Opinion on cigarettes?
I'm gonna admit here that I did smoke for a number of years. Yes, even with my health conditions. I quit in 2014 but I don't really have a big problem with them, apart from when I'm on oxygen and that's more a safety thing.

Do you want/have any children?
I don't have bio children, but I am the guardian, along with her mother, B, to a twelve year old. I've been there since the day she was born, and I'm her Aunty Joey. B and I have been best friends since we were thirteen and live together as friends.

Three favourite boy’s names.
Zack, Jack & Gray

Three favourite girl’s names.
Jessie, Rowena, Jasmine

Follow Joey here on her blog, or on Facebook or Tumblr to be kept up to date with the latest news regarding Joey and her books. You can also sign up to her newsletter here.

Book Launch for Destination: Unknown

Come and join in the fun here at the #DarkerSideOfFiction2017 Facebook Group!